Strawberry Sprinkles
by yourbrainversusmytractorbeam
Summary: AU SASUxOC Akiko met Sasuke for the first time and she seems to know Itachi. Why does she hate him? What did he do to her? Why does she act like she has two personalities? and why is Sasuke feeling connected to her somehow?
1. Chapter 1

HIHIII! i just realized, after readinfg ,my other sasukexoc fic, it wasnt that well written, so i decided to give it another try! plllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz review and tell me if its any good!

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It was past midnight on a Thursday night. A pale half moon shone dimly on Konhoa City, the occasional passing cloud causing a flicker of shadows amung the inky darkness. Tall trees cast large intimidating shadows on nearby houses. Silence was absolute, except fpr the occasional cricket or the rustling of dried leaves upon cement by a cool light breeze.

Somewhere near the center or the city, a girl sat in an empty park, her swing's rusted chains creaking slightly as she rocked slowly back and forth, pushing lightly off the ground with the balls of her feet. The sound, although not naturally loud, cut through the still air like a knife. Not many people were out at this time, considering how many people turned up dead in the city. Even just walking down the street was dangerous and the city itself seemed to give off an ominous feeling no one was capable of explaining.

The girl gazed up at the pale glowing moon and a small sigh escaped her lips. Her short golden brown hair ruffled slightly in the night breeze and she closed her eyes, enjoying the cold caress upon her skin. The wind soon died down and her hair fluttered back down to the nape of her neck and she blinked open her pale black-rimmed grey eyes. Her slim fingers wrapped around the swings chain as a support as she pulled herself up off the swing's seat.

'_Too bad it didn't rain tonight. It would have been perfect.' _she thought, a small smile tracing her lips as she stepped out of the deserted park and began to wander down an equally empty street. The only light she had to guide her, was by the moon. It wasn't much help, however, seeing as it was a cloudy night.

'_It's a good thing I walked down this road so many times and know it by heart!'_ the girl thought, weaving her way swiftly and gracefully through a series of barrels as if she could see them in plain view.'_I should be home sleeping. Tomorrow, I have to go to my new school! I just wish I wasn't so excited!'_ she could feel the grin on her lips as she rounded a corner. However, the grin faded from her face as her ears caught the sound of footsteps softly coming up behind her.

Unsure of how to react, she blinked and spun around. Her pale eyes roamed the streets behind her nervously, searching for any sign of another person. She found none. Only a small brown tabby cat rummaging through a nearby trash can. The girl released a breath she hadnt realized she was holding, thinking the noise was only the cat. Turning around, she moved to step forward, but froze as her downcast eyes caught site of a pair of shoes in front of her. She stumbled back in surprise.

Blinking slowly, her eyes focused on the shoes. They began to travel upwards, her curiosity besting her. She could dimly recognize a pair of knee-length biege shorts, and as her eyes traveled father up, a large navy blue t-shirt with a wide high collar. The girls face finally lifted enough to look him in the eye. His eyes were as dark as coals, shining coldly in the dark. She could barely make out his dark hair, seeing as it seemed to match the darkness surrounding them. His skin seemed to be a little pale and the way he stood, with his hands in his pockets, his onyx eyes void of emotion, suggested he was calm and collected.

'_Either that or he's just bored...'_ the girl thought, studying his eyes intently. She was wondering what he was doing up at this time of night. She had been living in Konhoa City for barely three weeks now, and every night she would come out to sit under the stars, not tired enough to sleep. And not once had she encountered another being.

"Uhmmm...H-Hi!" the girl spoke, a small forced smile straining her lips. '_Besides my sister, this guy is the first person I've talked to since I've come here. Onee-chan didnt think I'd be ready for socializing, so she told me to stay inside...If I hadnt learned to climb roofs, I wouldnt be outside now..._'

"W-Who are you? What are you doing out at this time?"

The boy raised an eyebrow cooly down at her. It seemed like he was going to ignore her questions, but then--

"I should be asking you that."

The girl started, her pale eyes widening slightly. She hadnt been expecting an answer. Her slim hands autom,atically reached up to her short hair and beagn to twist and twirl small strands nervously. "I-I couldnt sleep. I-I decided to go for a walk. What about you?"

"Hn...my buisness is my own." the boys facial expression didn't change. It was still as impassive as ever. His onyx eyes were still locked in a gaze with the girls pae ones. But the only pair of eyes expressing any sign of emotion, was the girl's. Her eyebrows were furrowed slightly in annoyance at the boys response and a small frown was on her lips.

"Thats not very nice! I dont like you very much!" she said, her hands stopped their consistent nervous twirling to yank lightly at her locks in apparent anger and fustration.

The only sign of recognition at the girls wods was the boy's lift of an eyebrow in her direction. "Hn..."

"Well whats your name?"

"Hn..." the boy blinked once and turned to walk around the girl, making it obvious he thought this was a waste of time. But as he passed the girl, she heard his voice in a low tone and she almost didnt hear it.

"Uchiha...Sasuke..."

The girl's eyes widened and her body stiffened as his words slowly processed in her mind. She swallowed hard and her hands fell, shaking slightly from her golden brown hair. Her lips parted to voice the millions of thoughts streaming through her mind. '_What!' _ was the main thought however, and so she spun around to blurt this, her heart racing. But the words never left her throat when her eyes scanned the empty street behind her. No one was there. The boy was gone.

_'Uchiha...That means...he's related to _him_ then...Is he that bastards brother! I couldnt see much, but now that I think about it, there was some resemblance...But where did he go! Agh! Dammit!'_ The girl spun in a complete circle, her eyes peering hopefully through the dark, but to no avail. She sighed and bit her lip as she finally gave up her searching to turn and resume her walk, still lost in thought, her brow furrowed. '_I hope I see him again. I need to ask him...Is he related to _him'

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The girl arrived outside a rather average looking house around two in the morning. The outside was painted a dark olive brown, peeling around the white shutters. The wooden steps leading up to the door looked a little worn and creaked as she stepped up them. She opened the door carefuly, trying hard to be quiet, so as not to avoid waking the rest of the house's inhabitants. The problem was, they were already awake.

A tall slim girl of about 20 to 23 sat on the wooden counter top next to the sink in the kitchen. Her long golden brown hair was in a sloppy bun at the top of her head. Her chocolate brown eyes were flecked with amber and at the sound of the door opening, they glanced up.

"Ki-Ki-chan...shouldnt you be asleep?" asked the girl from the counter.

"Oh...Onee-chan..." said the girl from the doorway as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She was alittle surprised her sister was up now. This didnt happen very often." I couldnt sleep again...You know I havent been since...then..." She reached up and began twirling her hair again. Her pale grey eyes lifted to meet her sister's brown ones. "What about you, Kikuri-nee-chan?" her voice was soft, almost a whisper.

"I dunno...Just couldnt fall asleep." Kikuri shrugged, her dark eyes moving from her sister's to her feet. "But you should try Akiko. I know you dont want to, but--"

"Kikuri...dont worry, I will." '_Anything to make you drop it.'_ Akiko thought, but didnt say. She didnt sleep very often. When she did, she would only wake up in the middle of the night, screaming. Her nightmares were always vivid. The same thing over and over. Akiko let her hands fall to her sides as she headed for her room. Her feet automatically walked through the dark living room to a wide wooden staircase and she dragged herself up the to her room.

Once inside, she closed and locked the door before turning and collapsing on the bed next to the lone window of the small room. She sighed and rolled onto her back.'_I dont want to sleep. I dont want to dream about it again. Everytime I close my eyes, I see _him_ in that room...killing them again and again...and the blood...His eyes..._' Akiko bit her lip to keep the small swell of tears she felt forming down.'_I wont let it get to me! I wont! Thats what he wanted!'_ she shook her head fiercly, refusing to let the tears fall or sleep come. So she lay there till she could hear the sound of civilization from outside her window...

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did you like it? if u have suggestions or nething, go ahead and tell me! and REVIEW PLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLZZZZZZ!


	2. Chapter 2

Akiko sighed impatiently. Her eyes wandered around the large room she was in, quietly memorizing everything she saw for future referance. She knew she would most likely forget the next day, but why not try?

She stoo dinside the office for Konhoa high, waiting with baited breath and annoying butterflies twisting in her stomach as each minute passed by slowly and agonizingly. The room had two small desks on either side of the room supporting to computers, and a long counter/desk ran across the middle of the room littered with papers, fliers and notices. Akiko could see the secretary in the next room over through a small doorway. She had short black and was rather tall.Akiko vaguely remembered her name as being Shizune...or something along those lines. Akiko could see Shizune talking to a tall blonde-haired woman who had a faint pink blush on her cheeks. As she watched the blush never went away and Akiko presumed it was from drinking.

'_So the principle is an achohlic. Well that's just great. Imagine what the students are like!'_ she thought sarcastically, rolling her grey eyes. At the mention of the word students, her thoughts flickered back to the other night...she could see the boy clearly in her mind. The dark hair and even darker cold eyes. They seemed to be glaring right out at her even though she was only picturing him. Akiko was jerked from her thoughts at the sound of a door closing. She blinked open her eyes and saw the Shizune woman walking back toward her.

"Here is your schedule, Hiroshiku-san. Please, follow me to your homeroom class." Said the black haired woman politely. Akiko nodded once, accepting the piece of paper Shizune was holding out to her and scanning it. She had homeroom in room...215.And her firrst class was in room 118, Biology. She pressed her lips tightly together t keep from yelling. She hated Biology and Math class more than any other subject. She was considering skipping, weighing the possibilities of being caught while walking up some flights of stairs, staring blankly at Shizune's back, lost in thought. It was only until they had reached the top of the stairs, walked down the hall, and , Akiko still not decided, did she look up. She walked straight into Shizune, who had stopped in front of a door.

Akiko apologized, looking down, and then glanced up at the door. It read, 215. Akiko had the urge to grumble under her breath. She really didn't want to be there. She didn't even want to go to Konhoa City. She didn't have much choice, however. Shizune, not seeing the I'd-rather-be-eating-a-live-porcipine-than-be-here look on Akiko's face as she stared glumly at the door, opened the door and stepped in. She glanced back, seeing Akiko still standing outside, and said, "Hey, Don't be nervous! He doesn't bite!"

Akiko blinked. '_Huh? Oh! She must think I'm nervous! And that I think the teacher will be mean...Haha! I'm not nervous!'_ she thought, a small smileappearing on her lips. She was about to laugh, when she realized the fact that there was still butterflies eating away at her insides. Her smile vanished. "I guess I am a little nervous..." she admitted softly.

Shizune smiled gently and Reached out, taking Akiko's wrist and pulling her into the room with one small pull. Akiko stumbled through the doorway, nearly tripping over her own two feet in the process. She straightened up and found herself subjected to many stares. She blushed and looked down at her feet, suddenly wishing she had tripped and was lying on the ground instead of standing there like an idiot.

"This is Hirshiku Akiko. The new student!" said Shizune, smiling at the class and the teacher. She nudged Akiko further into the room, almost, once again, tripping her. The teacher glanced up from his bright orange colored book and looked her up and down.

"Right...umm..just go sit...somewhere.." he muttered, blinking lazily. It looked like he was still lost in his own little world of the book. Akiko nodded silently and sat down in the first seat she came across that was empty. It happened to be one towards the back, thankfully. Akiko dropped her bagpack to the ground and glanced up to see many curious eyes staring at her. She fought down a blush and focused her attention to the front of the room, where Shizune was shaking her head pityingly at the teacher. It looked like she had been reprimanding him, but he wasn't listening much. Shizune let out an angryhuff and left the room with an angry, disapointed look on her face.

"Weird..." she heard a boy's voice mutter to her left. She looked over to see a somewhat short boy with spikey blond hair and brilliant blue eyes watching the door. "Normally, Shizune doesn't even bother trying to stop him from reading those books..."

Akiko said nothing, unsure if the boy was talking to her. Her hands were beginning to go to her hair, and Akiko forced them down, trying to stop the urge to twist her hair nervously. It didn't work. Akiko's fingers wrapped themselves into her hair and began twisting. The boy glanced at her.

"I'm Uzamaki Naruto! So your the new girl, huh? What's your name?" he asked, his voice light and friendly, his eyes matching his tone.

Akiko grinned suddenly, feeling much more comftorable knowing the boy was friendly enough. "She just said it..." She said, chukling at the boy's simple nature.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, remembering."Eghhh..oh yeah..that's right! Akiko, right?"

Akiko nodded.

"So how do you like Konhoa so far, Kiki-chan?" he asked eagerly, his embarresment fading.

Akiko smiled, hearing the name her sister had given her." It's okay...I'm kind of nervous about today though...I dont have any dirctional skills..." she confessed. Now, it was her turn to be sheepish.

Naruto laughed, loud and carefree." I know what you mean! But you'll get used to it! I'll show you aroun and stuff, okay?" he said. Akiko nodded happily. '_He's really nice.'_ she thought

Naruto turned and waved at a few people who had were sitting across the room. They stood up and made their way towards them. One was a rather shy looking girl with pale pupilless white-purple eyes and short black-blue hair. The other ones were two boys, one that seemed a little over weight and was carrying a bag of potatoe chips, and one with a pair of VERY large eyebrows as well as a strang bowl-like hair cut. Akiko shook her, trying not to stare.

"Hello, beatiful flower. My name is Rock Lee! I am--"

"Oh you wish, Lee!" laughed Naruto. Lee shrank dejectedly, his lower lip extending in a pout before he plopped down in the seat in front of Naruto. The other one, who introduced himself as Chouji, sat down in front of Akiko. She smiled. They all seemed nice.

Suddenly, a girl barged into the room, her pink hair standing out vividly and her sea-gree eyes dancing happily. "He's coming! Here he comes!" she shouted, jumping up and down. There was a rush of chairs squeking on floors as people- mostly girls- rushed to their seats and stared expectantly at the door. Akiko frowned, wondering what was going on. All the girls were staring, giddy with excitment and anticipation, at the door.

She turned to Naruto, opening her mouth to ask what was going on, but stopped, frozen. A boy had walked through the door. A certain black haired-cool-eyed boy. The one from last night. Akiko's mouth almost dropped in surprise, but, thinking of her dignity, she shut it with a snap. Her mouth went into a straight line as she saw the entire female portion of the class begin squeeling.

"I take it he's the heartthrob?" she asked Naruto skeptically. Naruto turned, a grimace on his face.

"Yeah, the conceited bastard. Thinks he's soooo cool." Naruto hissed back to her, the evident dislike etched on his face and in his eyes.

"Dobe." said a cool voice from in front of Akiko. She turned rapidly, tearing her eyes from Naruto to the black-haired boy now standing in front of Chouji's desk. He looked down at Chouji."Your in my seat." he said queitly.

It was all he needed to say. The entire class became deathly quiet and watched as Chouji stood up meekly and hurried across the room to another desk. Akiko frowned at the boy's back as he sat down.'_That's not very nice. He is a bastard, Naruto's right!'_ she thought angrily. She felt the anger in her boil up, completely forgetting what she had wantd to ask him. She jabbed her finger into his back.

"Don't touch me." was all he said, turning his coal-black eyes onto hers. She glared at him then spoke in an hushed tone."Then don't be an asshole, Uchiha."

The look on his face was one of mild amusement.Apparently, not many people called him an asshole. Aside from Naruto. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice harsh and cvutting now.

Akiko blinked and suddenly remembered."Oh, yeah! That's it!" she snapped her fingers as if hit by inspiration."Do you know--"

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and cutting off her words. She sighed in defeat and hit her head on desk in a dejected manor. The uchiha merely raised an eyebrow.

"Never mind...I'll ask you later..." she mumbled, picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. She stood up and glanced over to see Naruto waiting by the doorway. She shook her head and glanced back at the Uchiha. She frowned. He had vanished. Again. Akiko walked the door and followed Naruto. Her day was not going well at all.

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ok thats all im writing for now...please review and tell me if its any good and all that good old crap! 


	3. Chapter 3

Akiko stood in front of the two large swinging doors to Konhoa High's cafeteria. Her arms were clamped tight around a school textbook, clutching them nervously to her chest. She could vaugely hear Naruto's consistent chatter in her ear, a constant, faint buzzing she unconsciously blocked out.

She could feel the annoying flutter of many butterflies throughout her stomach. As soon as she walked through those doors, people would know she was the new girl. They would stare. And that's what Akiko hated. Being the center of attention, with everyone's eyes on her. It made her nervous and klutzy. If she had thought about it before, she would have just gone with the flow of the crowd and walked in unoticed.

But she hadn't. She had waited for Naruto and was now regretting it a little.

_' Why do I bother? I might as well get it over with...'_ she hung her head slightly in defeat, dark blond hair hiding her face in a curtain. A sigh worked it's way up to her throat, but she resisted, straightening up and forcing a small determined smile onto her lips. She grabbed the still talking Naruto's hand and yanked him through the doors.

A bustle of noise greeted her ears head-on. Students were laughing, talking, a few bits and pieces of unidentified school lunches lying on the white tiled floors and along the long wooden tables.

She glanced around timidly, her fake, forced smile fading as her eyes roamed. No one was looking at her...' _Strike that..'_ she thought, catching a few people's eyes.'_Maybe Naruto knows them...'_ Akiko glanced at the blonde only to see him waving madly at those very same people.

"Come on, Kiki-chan!" he said, grabbing her hand this time and dragging her towards the table.

Naruto plunkered down in an empty seat next to a girl with long, pale blonde hair who was sighing repeatedly and staring off at another table. Akiko didn't bother looking to where. There was another girl sitting in front of the sighing girl, her head down on the table, the two buns on top of her head standing out. There was yet another girl to the left of her, who, Akiko noticed, had turned bright red at the sight of Naruto and was sitting across from him. And to the right of the girl with buns, sat a boy with long almost black hair pulled back in a low ponytail, his pale eyes without pupils. He seemed a little angry to Akiko.

Naruto yanked Akiko down on the other side of him into the empty seat and began the introductions. "You already know Chouji." he pointed to the other end of the table where the chubby boy sat with that boy with big eyebrows..Lee...Akiko shuddered as she stared. "And you already know Lee." he continued."Ino.." he pointed to the pale blonde beside him. "Tenten." he pointed to the girl with buns. Tenten riased her hand half-heartedly, not looking up from the table."Hyuuga Neji.." he pointed to the white-eyed boy beside her.

"Hinata-chan." he pointed to the girl across from him. She ducked her head, blushing furiously, her dark hair gently brushing her cheeks. Her entire face was flaming.

"She's shy.." Naruto whispered in Akiko's ear. She nodded and her grey eyes began to wander around the table. She memorized their faces, growing familiar with the appearances. Her eyes fell on a sleeping form beside the girl called Ino.

"That's Nara Shikamaru. Lazy ass." Naruto answered her questioning gaze with a nod.

Akiko smiled. She felt comftorable in their company, oddly enough.

"Neji...Your such an asshole!" Tenten's voice rose, muffeled, from the table, colored with exaspiration.

"And why is that now?" stated the black-haired boy. His pale eyes had narrowed slightly in apprehension.

"Because you had to go and knock that guy out!" Tenten exploded, her head jerkling up from the table top, fists clenched. She glared at the semi-passive Neji.

"He was touching you like he was going to feel you up." anyone with half a brain cell could tell Neji was now straining to keep his voice level and uncaring. His jaw was clenched and he was practically grinding his teeth together.

"He put his arm around me!" Tenten protested, throwing her arms in the air." He was cute! And he was about to ask me out!"

"How do you know?" His voice was now shaking slightly.

"Easy! He did it before! He-"

"He...did...what?" the shaking was gone, replaced by a deadly whisper that sent chills down Akiko's spine.

"Uh...uhm...heh! It-It was just a movie!"

"A...movie?"

"Y-yes! That's it!"

"I see..." the calm tone was back. Neji's face was absolutely blank. He stood up abruptly, ignoring Tenten's surprised look. "Excuse me...There's somewhere I need to be..." with that, he walked off.

"oh no...tell me he's not..." Tenyen paled when she saw Hinata nod.

"Y-you should go st-stop him, Tenten-san...y-your the only one who c-c-can." Hinata didn't look up, studying her two fingers as she tapped them together. Tenten nodded,a hint of determination entering her eyes. She stood up and took off after Neji.

"What's Neji-san planning to do?" Akiko asked, frowning in confusion after the two.

"Hang the gut Tenten called cute by his toes with chains, most likely. They get so jealous if someone else flirts with the other one other than them. It's hilarious to watch!" a voice behind Naruto laughed. Akiko and the rest glanced back to see two people.

The speaker was a female with four spiky ponytails and a smirk on her features. The other had his arms crossed tight across his chest, make up on his face, which made Akiko blink, unsure what to think.

"So what's up? Who's the newbie?" asked the girl, taking Tenten's seat and observing Akiko closely. The other boy followed suit, taking Neji's seat next to her.

"Hirshiku Akiko. Just Akiko, I guess.." her reply was cool. Akiko wasn'r sure she liked the girl too much.

"Temari. And this is one of my brothers...Kankuro...Dunno where the other went.."She trailed off, glancing around.

"You have another brother?"

"Yeah...becareful around him...he's short tempered." Temari cautioned, turning her black-blue eyes back to Akiko, who nodded in understanding.

"Anyhow, like I was saying, Tenten and Neji obviously like each other, but they refuse to admit it. Baka's..." she shook her head in pity. Temari glanced up in time to see Akiko chuckle and Ino sigh again.

"Oi! Lover-girl! Snap outta it! He hasn't looked at you since you tried to give him that cake and ended up dumping it on Kiba. And even then, all he did was glare and his friend told you to piss off!" Temari tapped Ino's cheek with her fingertips, none too gentle. At the last part of the speech, Ino turned to face her, her blue eyes flashing.

"He didn't mean that! That glare was an admiring stare!" she cried, leaping to her feet angrily.

"Who?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Akiko glanced at the boy called Kankuro, who had spoken for the first time. He was leaning casually back in his chair, a small smirk in place as he watched Akiko's expression.

"_Him! _Ino you like him!" Akiko's voice was indignant and slightly apalled. It surprised everyone, especially Ino.

"Yes...So does every girl in this school though. Wait...you don't like him do you?" her eyes and tone were gaurded, posessive.

"No! He's so mean! He-" she stopped. Naruto had his hand clamped tight around her mouth.

"It's nothing! She doesn't like him!" he spoke for her, a nervous smile in place. Ino nodded satisfactorly before turning and resuming her stareing off dreamily.

When Akiko was released, she glared at Naruto reproachfully."Why the hell did you do that!" she demanded, grey eyes flashing.

"Because!" he hissed in her ear, trying to keep quiet enough so Ino wouldn't hear." She'd get seriously mad!"

"And you don't think I can take her!"

"Well...no..I mean..it's just...I-" he never got to finish stumbling over his words because a fist came out of nowhere and socked him right in the jaw. He flew back a few feet into a nearby table.

"Ow!" he staggered to his feet, rubbing his sore jaw, surprised.

"Eh? Ah! Sorry Naruto! Are you okay?" Akiko quickly apologized and rushed to help the blonde."I don't know what I was thinking!"

"It's alright...I'm fine!" he grinned sheepishly.

"Good!" Akiko flashed a smile, which faded quickly as her eyes narrowed."You deserved it! Don't ever call me weak!" she yelled, raising an arm to hit him again. Naruto cowered.

She looked down at him and blinked."Naruto! Let's go get ice cream!" she beemed.

Naruto stared at her."Eh? What?" he asked, dumbfounded.

Akiko shrugged."Suit yourself!Lets go Na-Na-chan!" she grabbed a very worried looking Hinata by the elbow, who, at the nickname, looked surprised.

"N-Na-na-chan?" she repeatedly softly as Akiko dragged her from her still bewildered Naruto.

"Yup! Hi - _Na -_ ta!" she cheerfully explained. Hinata nodded, knowing it would be better for her and her arm if she didn't argue. Besides, she was too nice for that!

! with Naruto!

"Bipolar...I swear...Ah! Hey! I want ice cream! Wait up!" and so our dimwitted friend took off after his admirer and his new bipolar friend...

! a few days later!

**_Bam! Slam! Smash! _**(awesome sound effects, huh?)

"Agh! Close, dammit!" Akiko kicked her locker door vicsously (sp...)." You.Have.No. FRIENDS!" with every word, her kicks grew harder. There was now a slight dent in the shiny metal.

"Baka...try using your hands.." said a cold voice behind her.

"I already did! And don't--" she spun around, preparing to knock the head in of whoever calle her an idiot."Ah! Hiya! I'm Akiko!" she smiled happily up at a pair of sea green eyes that regarded her coldly, murderously. (run away! run VERY FAR AWAY!)

"Hn...Subaka no Gaara (hey is that right? I think so...) " came the reply in a monotone.

"Hihi Gaara-kun! Do you-" her bright smile vanished as her memory kicked in."Hey! I'm not a baka!"

He didn't reply. He turned and walked away, not glancing back, ignoring the glowering Akiko.

"Agh! Another one! Just like him!" she kicked the door even harder, fueled once again.

In the past two days, nothing of importance had happened. Akiko had gotten used to her strange new friends and they were slowly getting used to her. She was still uneasy around Kankuro, the make up still freaking her out a bit, but other than that, it was pretty goo. Akiko steered clear the Uchiha, not wanting to say something she knew she'd forget. And Hinata had gotten better about stuttering around her. And Tenten had managed to keep Neji away from that boy...for now...

"So you've met Gaara." the voice was, once again, from behind her. But this time, she didn't turn around. Instead, she froze, dread coursing through her body at his voice. Of course she knew who it was. He talked in the sam tone as Gaara and Neji, cold, cutting...harsh.

"What do you want?"

"Hn...nothing. What are you doing to your locker?" his voice was quiet, almost preoccupied.

"Go away."

"Whatever." he turned and began to walk down the hall, in the same uncaring way as Gaara.

Akiko was slightly stunned. She didn't expect him to even talk to her, much less come up to her. It didn't seem his style. She bit her lip suddenly, remembering what she wanted to ask him...She mumbled something under her breath, incoherent. But somehow, the boy managed to hear, because he stopped walking, his eyes narrowing.

"What?" he finally asked after a lengthy pause. It seemed like he was bordering between anger and suspicion.

"I...I said...' Itachi'..." her voice was slightly louder, but barely above a whisper. Sasuke still heard her. He was in front of her in seconds, glaring down menacingly.

"What about him! What do you know!" he demanded, his calm exterior gone.

"Just...are yo...related?"

It took him a moment to answer. And when he did, he sounded disgusted."My older brother.."

Akiko's eyes widened. So it was true...But that meant...She was standing in front of the brother...of her family's murderer...

please review! i wanna know what you guys think! i'll update as soon as i get enough reviews!


	4. Chapter 4

"I asked you what you knew about him! How do you know him!"

His grip on her shoulders increased in strength and Akiko bit her lip to keep from gasping out. It was coming to the point where it felt like her shoulders were being crushed underneath a ten-pound boulder. How was this guy so strong?!

Uchiha Sasuke let a growl escape his lips-, which had been pushed together into a thin, irritated line, at the mention of his older brother. The fact that he had had to admit that Itachi was indeed related to him always got on his nerves. Normally, he tried to deny himself that fact, considering who his brother was, but it had just come out…this girl was getting on his last nerve. Especially since she wouldn't even answer his questions.

"Answer me!" he hissed threateningly. His hands shook her shoulders hard, sending waves of movement down her spine, causing her back and shoulders to crash into the wall of lockers behind her. This time, she didn't hold back a gasp as she stared up at him reproachfully.

"Let me go, damn asshole!" she seethed, wiggling in his grasp. He responded by tightening his grip again and she held back a small whimper of pain.

"I- I…don't know anything!" she gasped out, gray eyes sealed shut to keep her feelings unknown.

Suddenly, the pressure was gone. The weight lifted and Akiko could feel the blood rushing back into her numb shoulders, bringing a little bit of life back to it.

"Look at me." His deep voice came out low, hushed, and holding back. Coarse sounding.

Akiko released her shoulders from the soothing rub she was giving them in an attempt to reawaken some feeling in them, to slowly bring her eyes hesitantly up to meet his.

He stood about a head taller than her. His obsidian eyes were even darker, if possible, with contempt, hate, and anger. His large hands were balled into fists, the muscles along his arms straining as he tried to keep his temper in check. Akiko could see the stress lines clearly on his forehead and how his normally full lips pressed so hard together they were barely visible.

"I need to know. I need to know where he is and what he's done. I have to find him!" His words seemed to be jerked from his throat, as if he did not enjoy having to explain himself in anyway.

Akiko weaved a thick strand of hair between two fingers and began to compulsively twist it. Should she tell him? She had never told a soul…the people at her old town had found out on their own. How could they not? It was the talk of the town for weeks, the murder of the Hirshiku clan. The only survivors were three people: Akiko, who at the time had been sleeping over a friends house, her sister Kikuri, who had moved out not long before and lived in Konhoa while it was happening, and their Oji-san Hokuri

(Uncle Hokuri) who had lived on a separate part of the rather small estate and was out at a bar, getting drunk. The Hirshiku clan was not exceedingly wealthy, like the Hyuuga or Uchiha clan, but they had money—enough to own a small mansion complete with grounds and a few maids. Of course, Kikuri had been an independent type of girl and lived without the help of her parent's money, which was why her house was less fancy and extravagant than some of the others in Konhoa.

"I…I can't tell you…I'd like to, but I can't…" Akiko let her head droop weakly. She felt ashamed she couldn't even tell this person what he wanted to hear, or even help him in the least.

"And why not?" Sasuke grit out between clenched and gleaming white teeth.

"I-I… just can't…" she mumbled pathetically. Akiko felt the tiny drip of tears welling in her eyes and she hung her head even lower, unwilling to let her weakness show.

There was a silence. No one said anything, the quiet lengthening more and more as seconds, minutes went by. Sasuke stood over Akiko's curled-up form. She had sunk so low she was on the floor now, slim hands wrapped tightly over her shoulders, her fingers clutching desperately at the fabric of her shirt, as if she were afraid that if she were to loosen her grip in the slightest, she would fall and be unable to get back up. Her face was hidden in the shadow of her curtain of hair, forehead resting atop her knees.

"Why do you need to know?" she whispered suddenly, her soft voice breaking Sasuke's thoughts.

When the boy didn't answer, she lifted her head, strands of her golden brown hair lying in front of her eyes, obscuring her view by a little. She brushed then aside and blinked up at him. She cocked her head, seeing the most peculiar expression on his pale features.

It seemed like he was in inner turmoil, caught between wanting to do or say something and common sense. His brow puckered and his upper lip lifted to a slight sneer at a thought. It would have been intimidating, if these looks had reached his eyes, which were cold and unfeeling. Spiteful.

"He did something I can't forgive. That's all." He hissed, not looking at her, but down the hallway. The words fell from his lips like rain, and an understanding seemed to reach Akiko.

"He killed them, didn't he." She said knowingly, not even asking if it were true.

"Excuse me?" Sasuke's tone sent a shiver down her spine. If looks could kill…

"I said…that he killed them…right?" she was more hesitant now, questioning, hoping not to offend.

Sasuke bent down to Akiko's level, his black eyes peering into her pale gray, black rimmed ones. He pressed closer, searching her eyes with his. Akiko pulled back as far as she could, until the locker doors were painfully poking her back.

"What's it to you?" Sasuke hissed scathingly. A sneer took the place of his calm lips and he pulled back enough to give Akiko breathing space.

Akiko didn't answer. Her mouth opened in a silent gasp. So she wasn't alone completely. There was someone else her age who had gone through what she had…She swallowed. The words seemed to bunching up in her throat to form a large lump of unspoken, unheard thoughts. She swallowed again, desperate to speak her thoughts and her secret.

"Mine too!" she rasped out, voice fading repeatedly as she spoke.

Sasuke froze, for what had to be the second time that day. His raven bangs shaded his eyes darkly, and another impassive mask slipped over his features as he took in her words as best he could.

"What…are you talking about?" he asked, voice low and off key. He didn't dare look at her. His hand curled into a tight fist. If this was some joke…

Akiko had found her voice once again and she spoke, almost scared of the response she would get. "Itachi…he killed my family too…"

"He…he did?" for once, the Uchiha was without a comeback, without a response to send his opponent cowering, unable to think.

Akiko nodded, gaining courage. She licked her lower lip as she continued to speak, a little more encouraged and loose-tongued, feeling open and free now that she had finally gotten the secret off her shoulders and told someone who could relate. "I found out later why he did it too…apparently, a close relative of mine was deep in debt with him over drugs or something and Itachi wasn't getting paid, so he threatened him. And when the relative didn't pay up, he carried out the threat to kill the clan…"

"So why are you alive?" Sasuke leaned back so now he was fully sitting on the ground in front of Akiko. He glanced at her coolly from his spot on the floor through half-lidded eyes.

"I'm not sure…but he may not have realized there were other members of the clan not at the Estate at the time…he may have thought that he killed them all there at the time…" Akiko trailed off, staring at the wall across the hall. She could see many fliers attached to a large bulletin board. A few advertised things like Car Washes and she saw some about a dance coming up. The pink pieces of paper stood out the most among the scraps of black and white ones. She stared at the bulletin, transfixed, even though the images were not registering in her mid, she still didn't look away, lost in thought.

Sasuke watched her, his eyes roaming over her face, observing every facial line, every characteristic. She was rather simple-minded, it was easy to tell. This girl seemed to be having a hard time dealing with whatever was going through her mind, since her lips were turned down into a faint frown, her brow puckered with the strain of something, like the weight of a burden almost unbearable. What was going on through her head? Sasuke blinked lazily. Like he would care. Nope. Not him. Not in a million years. He stood up, stretching his long legs.

"Huh? Oh, see ya Sasuke!" the words seemed to spill from her lips automatically, just as the smile and cheerful tone did now. He raised a midnight eyebrow, but said nothing, keeping his thoughts to himself, as usual.

He turned and made his way back down the hall. He had spent enough time with that girl to last him a lifetime. He shoved his hands into his pockets and proceeded all the way down the and out the school doors.

"Akiko! Akiko! Were you just with the teme?!" Naruto's voice cut through her trance like a knife and Akiko glanced up to see the blond sprinting to her, concern written all over him.

"You should stay away from him! Don't you know why half the school is afraid of him?!" the blond panted as he came to a full stop next to her.

"They're scared of him? Why?" sure he was cold, but what was so scary about the raven-haired boy?

"He's the leader of a powerful gang! His brother is the leader of another one too! But they're rival gangs!"

please review!!!!


	5. Chapter 5

'Rival…gangs

Wooowww…I haven't updated in awhile….well I have good reason!! Trust me!!

Erm….I'm pregnant….and I'm not kidding…I'm like….I think it's…almost 17 weeks….which is a bit over..four months? And I'm just starting to show….and I'm eating every ten minutes, literally….like in the span of an hour and a half this morning, I had a bowl of cereal, and English muffin, a bagel, and bacon…..and I'm still hungry….so yah….

But I'll try to update again soon!!

'_Rival…gangs?'_

The words had been running around in her head since the day she heard them, like a cat and mouse. And it had been a week since hearing them, a very long, tiring, head aching week.

Akiko chewed on her bottom lip nervously as she stared, unseeingly, at the wide-open sky above her. She was laying flat on the roof of her sister's house for what felt like hours. Akiko had no idea what time it was by now, just that the brilliant colors that had painted the sky what seemed like minutes ago had faded to a sleek blanket of black.

And once again, she found herself unable to stop her racing thoughts from running straight back to him…..Uchiha Sasuke.

She felt like ripping her hair straight out of her head. And with her nervous invariable habit of playing, twisting, at her hair, it was a wonder she hadn't already.

And the reason for her aggravation? What else? Uchiha Sasuke, much to her dismay.

She hated the fact that she couldn't erase his image from her mind. Hated the fact that his and Naruto's words were still ringing in her ears, as if her mind had recorded them on a tape and insisted on torturing her by replaying every sentence, every reaction. And, to make matters worse, she hadn't even been able to find the courage to so much as look in the direction of the raven haired boy anymore. She needed discreetly to talk to him. Ask him exactly what had happened the night of his parents death…and what he might just be trying to gain by being in a rival gang.

Sitting up slowly, back aching from being the same position much too long, Akiko lazily blew a few strands of her golden brown hair out of her face. _'Maybe…I should go for a walk…. maybe I'll see him like I did that night…'_

She knew it was a long shot, but she had to hope. It was one of the few things she had left. Of course, if she actually did run into him, she had no idea where she would get the courage to talk to him. He hadn't bothered with her either since that day by her locker. Hadn't even glanced in her direction once. Acknowledged she was even alive. Somehow, this bothered her more than her inability to talk to him. Even though she knew it shouldn't. Just another reason to yank her hair out.

It wasn't long before she found her feet had taken her to the swing set where she had spent many nights since arriving in Konhoa. But instead of sitting down on the swings, she decided to stand up on them and see how high she could go doing so.

The barest of a smile traced her lips as she swung higher and higher. She hadn't swung on a swing like this in years. She had forgotten what it felt like to feel the wind whistling through her hair, and the feeling, in the pit of her stomach, like she was slowly detaching herself from gravity, as if flying. It sometimes made her unable to catch her breath.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice her foot slipping slowly over the edge of the swing. Not until, suddenly, she was falling backward at an alarming rate.

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He followed her. Not just with his obsidian eyes, but his feet too, seemed to have a mind of their own as they wandered down the same path she had just taken.

He couldn't seem to stop himself; ever since that day he had found her pounding her locker to pieces. He was careful, making sure she didn't see him watching her. Watching her every move, every reaction. The way she bit her full pale pink lips and a line of worry would stretch across her forehead and her slim hands would wind themselves into her golden brown hair, yanking and twirling. It wasn't that he liked her. No, it wasn't that. It was that he didn't understand her. He couldn't read her, even thought it had been at least a week since he had met her.

She had gone through what he had.

And yet, why was she not like him?

Why did her mood constantly seem to change, from her lips turning up into the sweetness of smiles to her pale gray eyes brimming with sorrow, to uncontrollably twisting her hair almost to knots with anxiety, to her slender eyebrows furrowing and her pale pink lips pursing in anger?

Why didn't she become like him? Emotionless…

So why was it that when he saw her slipping, falling from that swing, that he felt the need to swiftly rush from his spot behind the tree, to wrap his arms securely around her small, slim body and pull her to safety.

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She didn't cry out, didn't gasp, and didn't make a sound. Just closed her black-rimmed gray eyes and waited for the impact. Waited for the ground to meet her body.

But it didn't.

Instead, she found her body landing on something softer, to an extent. She could feel muscles shifting under her as she was shifted into an upright position, her feet firmly on the ground now.

Blinking, the image that met her eyes brought a soft gasp to her lips.

Sasuke wanted to hang himself from the nearest tree. He could see her pale gray eyes staring up at him in evident curiosity, and was waiting for the question he had no answer to himself. _Why…Why he had done it…_

"Thank you…." Akiko found herself blurting out. She wanted desperately to ask him why, but she found that particular word stuck in her throat. "U-Uhmm…..I…actually, I…wanted...t-to talk…"

And she was back to curling her short hair tightly around her fingers, chewing on her bottom lip, unable to speak the words that flew through her mind.

"Stop it." His tone was the same as she remembered it, as cold as ice and chilling her to the bone. "Stop doing that to your hair. Stop chewing your lip. And stop shoving your thoughts down your throat. It's…annoying. Sasuke felt the temptation to snatch her hands from her hair and hold them down. But that would involve touching her…and that was something he didn't do.

"I-I'm sorry….Habit…" Akiko shakily disentangled her fingers from her hair and let them fall to her side.

"Hn…"

Akiko couldn't resist rolling her eyes. Just how small was his vocabulary? Akiko frowned suddenly, a thought occurring to her.

"What are you doing here?"

There was a silence and, just like the first time they had met, Akiko didn't expect him to answer. A small sigh flew from her lips and pursed her lips in irritation. Was it really so hard to answer a question?

The silence seemed to drag on and Akiko began to fidget impatiently, unwilling to be the one to give in and break the deathly quiet. She cast a quick glance in his direction, only to see him watching her coolly, unemotionally, through half-lidded obsidian eyes.

Akiko felt her eye twitch. The Uchiha wasn't even _bothered _by the inconsistent stillness.

"God damn!" Akiko burst out, infuriated. "I don't know what your problem is! A simple question! And you can't even answer it! To think I _wanted _to actually talk to— " she bit her lip to keep herself from spitting out the rest of her sentence. It wouldn't get her anywhere. This guy was an ice cube! He probably wouldn't answer a single question she asked, let alone give her an explanation!

Akiko turned on her heel and began to stalk off, not bothering to glance in the raven-haired boy's direction in her pent-up frustration.

"Annoying…"

Akiko paused in her heated steps. Had he just called her annoying? Her temper flared twice as much as before.

"Unbelievable! You can't even answer a simple question and your calling _me_ annoying?!"

Akiko stalked back towards the still standing statue of Sasuke and roughly poked him squarely in the chest. "You have no right to call anyone annoying when you're the most annoying, self-centered, pain in the ass jerk yourself!" All throughout her confrontation she had been repeatedly poking him in the same spot.

Sasuke didn't reply, but instead, grasped the hand that had been assaulting him and used it to yank her after him as he began to walk off.

"E-Eh?" Akiko blinked her gray eyes, too surprised to be angry anymore. "What are you doing?"

"Taking you to my house to talk." He muttered in reply, not even sparing her a glance.

"B-But….uhmm…why?"

"That's what you wanted wasn't it?"

Akiko imagined he was rolling his eyes by now at her stupidity, but then cast aside the thought, considering it might be too much emotion for the ice cube. She couldn't think of anything else to stay, so instead of attempting to make polite small talk, knowing it'd be a fruitless attempt as it was, she allowed him to drag her off to wherever the Uchiha residence was.

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Erm….review? pwease?


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